Security measures of one kind or another are now a largely accepted part of everyday life. From swiping a travel card on the way to work, to swiping or presenting an ID card at the office reception, to being captured on CCTV at various locations; it is common to encounter a range of security solutions in the course of a working day.
Indeed, with the continuing threat of crime (such as vandalism and theft), and anti-social behaviour, there is a growing demand for premises to be equipped with effective integrated security solutions; as well as trained, courteous security personnel. The background threat of terrorism is also a factor in motivating premises managers to boost security.
Ideally, building and operations managers strive for their premises security to be effective yet not too interfering or unnecessarily procedural. This can be a hard balance to strike. University campuses, for example, like to project a relaxed atmosphere in which students and teachers can flourish; whilst at the same time they want to feel safe.
Indeed, sound security measures have to be in place. First and foremost, there will be access control systems in operation. Essentially these involve controlling entry in to a room, or larger space, such as a laboratory, by means of a smart card reader system. Identity cards can be read through a variety of means, sometimes through swiping, sometimes by a contactless method: The card does not have to touch the reader directly.
